Monday, 20 April 2015

Bridesmaid Dresses That Pop: Because Your Wedding Party Shouldn’t Be a Bunch of Wallflowers

The whole matchy-matchy bridesmaid dress
tradition started as an attempt to ward off bad luck: With her ’maids
dressed in white, the bride was supposed to be protected from evil
spirits, who wouldn’t be able to tell the ladies apart. These days bridesmaids
wear color, more often than not, but since the dresses are generally in
a muted shade, the ’maids tend to blend in with the scenery during the
ceremony. And at the reception—where all the women are wearing
dresses—the bridesmaids blend in with the crowd.

That won’t happen, however, if you choose a bright, bold dress for your bridesmaids. Bride Caren picked these Mara Hoffman dresses for her best friends, and they couldn’t have looked prettier.

I think the whole thing works for several reasons:

1) Everything else about the bridesmaids’ look is muted:
ultra-simple flowers, minimal accessories, natural makeup, and loose
waves. If there were wild bouffants, statement jewelry, or cascading
bouquets, it would start to feel like sensory overload.

2) The guys are way toned down. In classic black and white, they’re the perfect backdrop for these dresses.

3) The bride’s dress is ultra simple.
If Caren had picked a binged-out ball gown with a sweeping train, you
wouldn’t know where to look. But her sleek, chic wedding dress (the
Nisha by Vera Wang) plays perfectly against the busy bridesmaid dresses.
(Nisha is one of the wedding dresses that Vera sent down the runway in
bright pink. (See it here.) I think that would have been overkill.)

4) The bridal party is small. What looks beautiful on four girls would admittedly look bonkers if there had been 14 bridesmaids.

Here’s a quick rundown of some wedding details: Caren and her groom, Michael, were married on March 14 at Sparrows Lodge in Palm Springs, California. These photos are by Chloe Moore Photography. (I spotted pics from the wedding on her Instagram.)

Would you put your bridesmaids in bold patterned dresses?

I think it’s a great way to let them shine.

PS:
You don’t have to like the concept, but please keep the comments
civilized and don’t criticize the girls above. These are a real couple’s
wedding pictures.